One Step Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Urine Test (Strip)

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Some patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) use cannabis to relieve stress and for its antiemetic properties. However, chronic cannabis use has been associated paradoxically with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) and some patients with CVS are thought to have CHS. We sought to characterize patterns of cannabis use by patients with CVS and identify those who could be reclassified as having CHS. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of 140 patients with CVS (72% female; mean age, 37 +/- 13 y) seen at a specialized clinic. Patients were screened for cannabis use with the cannabis use disorder identification test. Patients were classified as regular (use >= 4 times/wk) or occasional users (<4 times/wk). RESULTS: Forty-one percent of patients were current cannabis users, with 21% reporting regular use. Regular users were more likely to be male and to report an anxiety diagnosis, and smoked cannabis with higher tetrahydrocannabinol content and for a longer duration. Most users reported that cannabis helped control CVS symptoms. Among all cannabis users, 50 of 57 (88%) reported that they had abstained for longer than 1 month, but only 1 user reported resolution of CVS episodes during the abstinence period. This patient subsequently resumed using cannabis but remains free of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis is used commonly among patients with CVS-patients report relief of symptoms with use. We found 21% of patients with CVS to be regular users, but only 1 met the Rome IV criteria for CHS. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the relationships among cannabis use, hyperemesis, and mood symptoms.

Exocannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may alter the physiological function of endocannabinoids in male reproduction and thus affect male fertility. This study aimed to investigate the apoptotic effects of THC via mechanisms related to p53 and AKT signaling pathways on Sertoli cells and seminiferous germinal cells, as well as the possible protective role of selenium pretreatment in both in vitro and in vivo models. The Mus musculus Sertoli cell line, TM4, was used for in vitro experiments. The TM4 cells were cultured and exposed to selenium (2 mu M, 48 h) and THC (470 mu M, 24 h). The MTT test was performed to evaluate cell viability. Fifteen maleWistar rats (220 +/- 20 g) were used for in vivo experiments and divided into three groups: (1) control, (2) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 5 mg/kg, dissolved in DMSO 5%, i.p., for 21 consecutive days), and (3) THC + selenium (selenium, 0.5 mg/kg per day, i.p.). At the end of the experiments, Sertoli cells and testis tissue samples were collected for biochemical (AKT, P53), cell apoptosis, and histological analyses. The results of the in vitro study revealed that THC significantly decreases the cell viability (p < 0.001) and expression of the p-AKt protein (p < 0.05) and increases Sertoli cells' apoptosis (p < 0.001) and p53 protein expression (p < 0.001). The in vivo effects of THC were in line with the in vitro results. Pretreatment with selenium (as sodium selenite) significantly decreased the THC-induced Sertoli cell and testicular tissue damages in the rats. Pathological changes were significantly alleviated in the selenium-pretreated rats. Collectively, these data suggest that pretreatment with selenium is able to protect against THC-induced testicular cell damage. The attenuating effect of selenium may be due to its anti-apoptotic activity through the p53 and AKT modulation.